Service with a SMILE...or NOT!!!!
"Good morning, may I be of service to you?", the sales lady asked from behind the counter. I looked over to where she was and she gave me a big smile. I returned the smile and said I was going to browse and if I wanted anything, I'll call her. Now that greeting made a good start to my shopping day.
This is the scenario in most outlets that I have ever patronised overseas and maybe in some swanky shops here in KL. The sales personnel are mostly friendly and willing to serve you, with a SMILE! Well, aren't they supposed to serve you that way? With a smile and attentiveness? They don't follow you around suspecting you of trying to pilfer the goods in their shop.
It's such a different story here in our own country. I find the sales people in shops here wanting in the service department. They need to be taught how to serve their customers and how to make the customers return the next time. What I have experienced here sometimes have made me leave the shops in annoyance and disgust. These sales people do not even greet you most of the time, no smiles whatsoever. They sometimes follow you around or look at you from behind or in between clothes rack, expecting you to slip something into your bag unpaid! What an annoying thing to encounter! When you ask them for assistance, they are either willing or in some remote cases unhelpful at all....by way of telling you what you want is out of stock, even before checking.
Some of the sales people too seem to be more interested in huddling in a corner somewhere in the shop exchanging gossip! I have seen this so many times and it annoys me no end.
Another observation that I have made is on the Immigration personnel manning passport control counters at KLIA. Everytime I return from overseas, I never fail to observe these group of people. I will be standing in line to go through the auto gate and while waiting, I'll look over to the counters. Most of the personnel do not even smile or greet the person standing in front of them. Well I got this treatment too when I had my passport checked at the counter. Is it so difficult to be polite and to smile a little bit? Does it take so much effort to be pleasant?
To think that the government is always putting forth this so called myth of us Malaysians being friendly! Well, only in tele ads we do I guess and that too from coaching and to the script.
There are lots more that can be said on this subject but I'll leave this for you readers to think about and maybe remember your own experiences. Don't forget, 'a SMILE a day keeps the blues away'....:))
This is the scenario in most outlets that I have ever patronised overseas and maybe in some swanky shops here in KL. The sales personnel are mostly friendly and willing to serve you, with a SMILE! Well, aren't they supposed to serve you that way? With a smile and attentiveness? They don't follow you around suspecting you of trying to pilfer the goods in their shop.
It's such a different story here in our own country. I find the sales people in shops here wanting in the service department. They need to be taught how to serve their customers and how to make the customers return the next time. What I have experienced here sometimes have made me leave the shops in annoyance and disgust. These sales people do not even greet you most of the time, no smiles whatsoever. They sometimes follow you around or look at you from behind or in between clothes rack, expecting you to slip something into your bag unpaid! What an annoying thing to encounter! When you ask them for assistance, they are either willing or in some remote cases unhelpful at all....by way of telling you what you want is out of stock, even before checking.
Some of the sales people too seem to be more interested in huddling in a corner somewhere in the shop exchanging gossip! I have seen this so many times and it annoys me no end.
Another observation that I have made is on the Immigration personnel manning passport control counters at KLIA. Everytime I return from overseas, I never fail to observe these group of people. I will be standing in line to go through the auto gate and while waiting, I'll look over to the counters. Most of the personnel do not even smile or greet the person standing in front of them. Well I got this treatment too when I had my passport checked at the counter. Is it so difficult to be polite and to smile a little bit? Does it take so much effort to be pleasant?
To think that the government is always putting forth this so called myth of us Malaysians being friendly! Well, only in tele ads we do I guess and that too from coaching and to the script.
There are lots more that can be said on this subject but I'll leave this for you readers to think about and maybe remember your own experiences. Don't forget, 'a SMILE a day keeps the blues away'....:))
Actually when I encounter these sales people who follow you throughout the store, I just stare them and if they don't understand, I'd say "I will look for you when I need you. Can you please leave?". 100% of the time they would just back off and keep their distance. It is unfortunate that here salespeople aren't thought the finer art of salesmanship, which actually doesn't require one to be pushy, pesky or intrusive. But then again, we do have many incidents of thefts so perhaps added electronic surveillance could make it unnecessary for customers to be tailed all the time.
ReplyDeleteThe Immigration people too need to be taught some good people skills, but when you think of it, it's a matter of attitude as well. With the right attitude, it doesn't take a lot to smile.
so, so true!!! lately i've stop going to Watson Semenyih cos not the salesppl yg ikut, it's the bloody myanmar guard yg follow me around. issshhhh annoying giler!!!
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